3.31.2008

I just completed a "Family Plaque" for 'Mom2Chaos' on Etsy and she had the greatest idea! She wanted a plaque for her family similar to the stick figure stickers people put on their cars. I'm telling you, my customers are so creative! Anyway, I brainstormed and this is what I came up with. On top of coming up with a great idea (and giving me permission to sell them in my Etsy shop) her kids have the COOLEST names!

I stayed up late to finish all my orders from this week and though my house looks like it's been ransacked due to lackluster cleaning on my part in the past few days, I'm happy. I got the nicest email from a bride who wanted a wedding frame and it just made my day. I've always said, there is no thanks in laundry but, boy, do people love their frames! It gives me motivation to face that sink full of dishes. A little positive feedback goes a long way. Maybe I'll put a feedback card on top of my families clean and folded clothes this week...

Anyway, I think we've really seen the end of ski season for 2008. It's sad to put away the skis but it's also exciting to see the grass getting greener and little shoots poking out of the dirt. I found a bird's nest last week I would love to fill with robin's eggs. Soon, they will be hatching and I think I'll collect the fallen shells to make a spring display. Any thoughts on getting rid of the bird bugs?

3.29.2008

I'm pretty sure my feelings about bubble wrap are well-known at this point. I stalk it, steal it, look for it every place! I hunt it down in Target on Friday mornings when they are unpacking new stock. My husband even brought a huge box of it home from work one day as a gift.

3.28.2008

Here are some of the sweet, little mini-Heartsongs Memory Frames from my most recent order. I love how they look grouped together and each has a short quote painted on it. I like to keep mine on my bedside table as a reminder of a special memory or feeling. I've even seen some people put a small mirror in the opening for a functional piece of art.

Each frame measures 8x8 inches and is hand distressed for a worn look and hand painted by me! Don't they look like something that has been tucked away on a shelf? I love the look of things that are well-loved (could it be "Velveteen Rabbit Syndrome"?) and I have always been drawn to the power of prose. Words hold so much emotion, memory, and feeling for me.

I sell these in my Etsy shop for a mere $15, so they are definitely affordable and collectible. It's a cute gift to give and receive, and inexpensive enough for "just because". Check them out at http://www.hopestudios.etsy.com/

3.27.2008

I just made a connection with a customer who has ordered a frame for her wedding photo. It is the first thing she has done with her photos since she married and it makes me so nervous! We came up with a custom size and a great quote "Night and day, you are the one. Only you beneath the moon and the sun." Isn't it inspiring? I listen to these stories and I begin to feel those feelings all over again.

I also got an order of 3 mini frames from a repeat customer and I'm working on two other 20x20 frames! OH! And I almost forgot! A family plaque with the family name at the top and stick figures of each family member labeled underneath. I'm definitely adding these to my shop! Photos soon!

3.26.2008

Do you ever feel like you're out of control in the parenting arena? Ever hear your kids say they hate you, or you the worst mom ever? Ever feel like a cocktail by 1 o'clock on a Wednesday? I say embrace it! I made a treasury in http://www.etsy.com/ just for us!

I found as I was collecting these items for "One BAD ASS Momma" I was feeling kinship with all the mom's out there who feel like those little munchkins have gotten the best of us on some days. All of these artists relate to us and make us feel normal! Note the "mommy needs a cocktail" burp cloths! SO TRUE!

3.25.2008

I've been taking a break from ebay for the last few weeks. It's a little experiment to see if my sales have been generated by my blog or etsy or just funneled from ebay. So far I haven't seen a decrease in orders...but I miss my little buddy!

I tend to get antsy if I haven't created something in a while, so I make a lot of frames with all the quotes in my head in my down time. I photograph them for my Etsy shop to keep it looking fresh. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to keep them all! (For some reason, my husband thinks 35 frames around the house is overkill). So, I guess it's time to clean up inventory since ebay sent me an email about the 1 cent sale this week!

3.23.2008

Okay, I'm home and exhausted. I guess it's true what they say "You can never go home". Am I the only one in the world who wonders how I grew up with these people and still ended up sane and partially normal? I guess my children will wonder the same of me someday.

Anyway, long car trips are great for inspiration so I'm excited to get back into my studio this week. I have a frame to work on for a good friend that I've been pushing aside for too long. It's time to get started on it. She chose a wonderful quote about parents. Maybe working on it will put my weekend in perspective.

3.21.2008

I will be doing the Easter thing for the next few days, you know eggs, chocolate, fighting with random family members when we get together for the first time since last year... So, any emails or order I receive for the next few days will get attention bright and early on Monday.

3.20.2008

I'm not proud of this, but I'm going to reveal my work space to try to shame myself into cleaning it up! I work in a huge mess and for some reason it doesn't bother me at all while I'm busy. The second I finish up I look around and think, God I'm a pig!

So this is it, down in my basement studio. I'm in the basement mostly because my husband can't stand the mess and I can't seem to help it. I get in a creative groove then suddenly, poof! Mess!

Once I finish up my project I need to start dinner, laundry, homework with the kids (Etsy forums, sshhh) and I've missed my chance to clean it up. Now my secret is out and it's up to all of you to guilt me into shaping up. I should warn you, I'm very stubborn.

I have gotten some Heartsongs Frame orders lately that bring a tear to my eye. I always talk about the connection I feel for each piece and it's never been more true. I develop these little relationships with my customers as we email back and forth about how to create this special frame for themselves or a loved one.

This particular collection of quotes I've gotten requests for this last week really drives the point home that these frames really are from the heart. They carry true emotion in the words and remind each of us of the importance we place in these relationships. By pairing these heartfelt words with a special photo we capture that emotion and put it on display. We preserve a moment in time.

If you have a favorite quote let me know in the comments, you just might see it show up someplace in my shop! In the meantime, look at what some of you have already thought of here in these photos.

3.19.2008

Okay, I'd heard "Mom, what kind of project can I do?" about 30 times yesterday so decided to include Helper Munchkin in the Easter basket project for his cousins. This is so easy and really does look cute in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon. You have 30 minutes to get to the store for supplies: chocolate chips, sprinkles, and peeps....ready? Go!

3.18.2008

A single red rose and a table for twoA nice chardonay and an ocean viewShips comin in and stars comin outWe sat and we talked till the place closed downThen we took a long walk down on the beachHer in that white dress and her bare feetWe stopped and we watched the lighthouse lightAnd pulled her close and i held on tightAnd i said to myselfIt doesnt get better than thisNo it doesnt get better than this

And it didIt didWhoa it didFastforeward to that next springWe were lookin for a preacherPickin out ringsFamily comin in and friends comin outTo that white church on the outskirts of townMe in that tux fightin butterfliesTears of joy in the mommas eyesHer daddy walkin her down the aisleHe lifted that veil and i saw that smileAnd i saidTo myselfIt doesnt get better than thisNo it doesnt get better than this

But it didIt didOh it didJust when i start thinkin its as good as it can getThis crazy life does somethin just to let me knowI haven't seen anything yetNine months later nearly to the dayThere we were flyin down the interstateCar weavin in and car weavin outThrough traffic runnin every red light in townDelivery room and the doctor comes inI'm right beside and shes squeezin my handOne more push and a baby criesSweet little angel with his momma's eyesAnd i saidTo myselfIt doesnt get better than thisNo it doesnt get better than this

It's funny, because, for the most part, I still feel the same as I did in high school and college. My brain refuses to recognize that I'm in my 30's. I still crack up at the same things and act silly, but I guess "Mom Brain" must kick in more often than I think for the welfare of the kids!

Just when I think I've got my customer base figured out (Moms like me, right?) I get an order and hear the story of a brand new type of customer I can relate to. My latest project was from a college student who was looking for a gift for her best friend and she sent me this quote to see if I could fit it on a frame. See if this can bring you back to a place in time:

"It's those moments when you drive around in a car full of friends

around a town too small for you,

where you gasp for breath between each laugh.

It's those moments where you get high off just breathing in so deep.

For a second, that split second, you don't care.

You don't care about school, about parents, about money, about rules, or broken hearts.

Who you care about are the kids sitting next to you.

Cause it's all we really need, isn't it? Those kids next to you.

Yeah, the ones who make you feel invincible, even at your weakest points."

After I read this I was determined to fit it onto the frame, and it took some work but I finally got it. First of all, it made me miss that crazy, free feeling of being with friends in a car. Cruising from the Bowling Alley to Mcdonald's a thousand times on a friday night (whoa, does anyone "cruise" anymore?), laughing until my sides ached.

Then, at the same time, I also looked around at my current life and responsibilites and felt so removed from all that. I never would have known the fierceness of my love for my boys ( I really could lift a car if I had to), the comfort, safety, and love I get from my marriage, a real friendship that had survived challenges, and pride in hard work. So, though I feel young, I realize I really am just young at heart, and I'm okay with that. Every life stage I think of Brad Paisley's song and I realize we live through each stage for a reason.

3.17.2008

Well, the leprechaun came last night and really did a job on my house. All of those fun things that seem like a good idea the night before always look a little different in the light of day.

We got up this morning to a trashed downstairs that was covered with glitter and candy (Glitter? Really?). Hubby came down and looked at three boys who were hopped up on sugar by 8am and tried to eat the green pancakes. The combo. of hyperactivity, glitter on his fork, and the nasty green pancakes sent him packing earlier than usual with a, "This better not look like this when I get home." over his shoulder. Dude, lighten up!

So, anyway, my kids went off to face their day of learning with 5 Rolos, 2 Hershey's Kisses, and 3 mini Reese's Cups in their bellies (they didn't like the pancakes either...Yeah, I really didn't think the glitter thing through properly). I'll be accepting my Mom of the Year trophy at a special ceremony given by their 1st and 3rd grade teachers after school today. The ceremony might just include a beat down, but I'm man enough to take it. :)

3.14.2008

I'm getting my weekend blogging done early and I had to share the coolest project for you to work on over the weekend : Paper Bag Scrapbooks! It combines my two favorite things, crafting and recycling! Who knew you could create something so cool from paper lunch bags?

I'm up and on here early this morning because it's set to be "one of those days" around here. You know the kind of day when you look at your preschooler's calendar the night before and realize the Easter Party you volunteered to coordinate is a week earlier than you planned? That's not even a hypothetical, it really happened.

So, somehow in two hours I got my things around for the big Easter party today and then shopped for all the Easter surprises because I realized I would have a helper with me on spring break all next week and no time to shop alone. Oh, on top of that I got packed for this weekend's ski trip and made meatballs and sauce for the trip.

Anyway, what I'm really excited about is an Alchemy bid I submitted on http://www.etsy.com/ last night for a cute little girl who wants a Lemonade Stand! I have the whole thing planned in my brain, and for those of you who are crafty you can try it too. If my bid is accepted, I plan to make a framework from pvc pipe and plumbing joints. I want to make a skirt out of gesso'd canvas that I paint with large stripes and lemons and a sign from the top with canvas that announces "Lemonade Stand". Having no girls in this house except my cute little dog, Pipa, I'm chomping at the bit to create something girlie!

Wish me luck! I hope I get picked from her other bids! This alchemy thing is so awesome! If you have a special request and want to receive bids from artists you can start one too, click herehttp://www.etsy.com/alchemy/ I will talk a little more next week about the guilt I feel for cheating on etsy forums with alchemy. I'm in love with it!

3.13.2008

If you are under the age of 30, you will probably not understand anything in today's post...but you can always come back tomorrow.

Anyway, yesterday was one of my running around like a chicken with my head cut off days - cafeteria volunteer work at school, pick up kid from preschool, take dog to vet, explain to vet why dog's coat is all matted...you know. In the midst of this I stop a McD's drive thru and hear someone who sounds just like Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High on the speaker with the car in front of me. It goes down like this: "Welcome to McDonald's can I take your order?" (now, you should be reading this as if it was Jeff Spicoli. Get into character! There are lots of unspoken "dude"s in there) The kids in the car in front of me begin to order "Yeah, I'll take a cheeseburger and fries and 2 bags of weed, dude! ha ha ha ha ha" to which the speaker responds "Dude..." and then the kids say "Just kidding Matt, it's me John. ha ha ha"

Okay, I'm mildly amused and listening to them make plans to get together this weekend at the window and laugh about the funny joke. I'm kind of laughing in the car behind them. Then it's my turn and I pay with exact change to which he responds "Excellent..."

It's all very funny and I feel like I'm stuck in a bad 80's movie when the realization hits me - if I am in a bad 80's movie, I'm the old lady with the kid that they all make fun of! That is a total bummer and a reality check. These kids (see? I'm calling them kids, like an old lady!) wouldn't even get it if I told them my joke because it was 25 years ago and they weren't alive then! Plus, I paid with exact change which is such an old lady thing to do!

So, there is no moral to this story other than, getting old is a bummer. Thank God I don't drive a mini-van!

3.12.2008

Although I am pretty much consumed with all things Etsy at the moment, I am particularly hooked on the Treasury. For those of you who don't know, it's an opportunity to showcase the great talent you stumble upon there. I get to curate my own collection according to theme or color or whatever. It is so fun I dream about my new theme the night before I try for a new treasury and for days before hand I collect little beauties to add.

My last one was titled "Does this make my BUTT look big?" and it was full of...well...butts! A zebra butt print, cat butt earrings, chicken butt stationary...it was a hoot! This time I decided to play on my name, Hope Studios, and created "HOPE is the thing with feathers..." from the Emily Dickinson poem. I found such hopeful images and objects.

It really is like a treasure hunt and a Secret Santa rolled into one. I get to scavenge for lovely works of art and also surprise a shop keeper with being included - it's a nice validation. To get on the wagon or to view my own Treasury click here: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=3830

3.11.2008

Those three words bring instant stress into my life. Living with a picky eater can ruin meals for an entire family!

Let me first say, that I am not a push-over mom who lets the kids do whatever they want. I'm pretty strict (a necessity with 3 boys). I've always said, "eat what I make or starve!" Unfortunately, my 9 year old inherited his mother's stubbornness. That kid will go to bed without dinner just to prove a point!

I've gotten to the point where I keep dinner plans a secret all day because I can't bear to listen to the complaining. "What's for dinner, Mom?" "Oh, you'll just have to wait and see..."

It doesn't matter what it is, I get the same response - chicken? "No! I hate chicken!" pork chops? "No! I hate pork chops!" meatloaf? "No! I hate meatloaf! It's disgusting!"

Well, last night I snapped. I went about my business cooking the 'secret' dinner until he looked into the pan and yelled "I hate chicken!" and I picked up his plate and threw it away, to my husband's shock, and announced "No dinner for you tonight! I'm done!" Then I sat down and started to eat with 4 pairs of eyes bugging out at me. (Lesson: don't mess with Mom at the end of a long day!)

Pretty soon, eldest son got up and prepared himself a strange mish -mash of dinner that consisted of yogurt, a cheese sandwich, and pretzels and sat down to join us. No more complaining and I got to eat my hot meal in peace. I'm not sure what I accomplished, but somehow we both feel like we won that battle.

3.10.2008

I wanted to write about a great new Etsy seller today and share her product. I love it and know you will, too. She is a mom who has started her own jewelry business called Joy Beadworks. The concept behind her jewelry really jibes with my busy life and my need to streamline.

All her jewelry pieces are interchangeable! She has interchangeable sterling silver rings and earrings that can go with any outfit. I've pictured the ring here for you to see. The ring holds a handmade bead that can be matched to whatever your heart desires and replacement beads can be purchased to match all your other outfits! The same goes for her earrings - you choose for favorite style of earring and then choose different dangles!

I think it's ingenious to not have to keep track of 10 different rings cluttering up your jewelry box. Not to mention the savings of buying a bead to match your new outfit vs. buying a whole new ring. The cost factor makes collecting beads for your ring addictive. You won't break the bank so you can get something to match every outfit. The fact that the beads are handmade makes them affordable artwork to collect, as well.

3.08.2008

In trying to hit all the price points in my etsy shop, I've come up with another idea for all of your special quotes and photos. I want to be sure I have something for everyone. My love of words seems to be universal whether it's a special song lyric, your favorite bedtime book as a child, a love poem written on a cherished piece of paper or your own wedding song, I seem to have hit a soft spot that I share with many of you out there.

My new Photo Plaques are crafted from a solid piece of pine measuring 12x12 inches. They are cut, sanded, distressed and painted by hand. I don't use stencils or stickers so there will be some irregularity to the letters which, I think, makes them more charming and real. You get to choose your own quote and your own 3.5x3.5 inch photo for the lower right corner.

3.07.2008

As cool as the juice pouch thing is, I have to show off my two newest frames. My customers are so imaginative and really push me to try new things. Thank you for sharing with me all your stories of new babies, anniversaries, weddings, and birthday surprises. I love to make that personal connection when I am working on a frame.

Here are two I finished this week, one for a new baby and one as a gift from a husband to his wife. See, guys? It's not that hard to get brownie points with the little lady - just commission me to paint your wedding song like this guy did!

I hear that around my house a lot with 3 boys. I mentioned last week that a friend showed us all how to make juice pouch purses at our girl's coffee break and it really is the cutest form of recycling I have seen in some time!

3.06.2008

Ok, not everyone knows this, but for 1 hour a day I lead a double life. By day I'm a soccer mom and by night a kickboxer that would rival any villian on Kill Bill! Now, this all takes place in "Exercise Room 1" at the YMCA, but still...

I looked around yesterday morning at my classmates and the title for this entry occured to me. Here we are, all women, mostly all moms, in this class for one hour in the mornings. We are regular girls, thinking about the grocery list and when which kid gets picked up where, and about the PILE of laundry in the closet, but once we walk through that door we become warriors. We are one bad ass group of butt kicking mother f*&kers!

There is no one there to judge us, we punch hard and sweat and have such looks of concentration during that hour. Our instructor, Tammy, shouts out things like "What are you punching, we hate cheerleaders!", "Kick like you mean it!", and "Don't you dare give up on you!" (my personal favorite). She empowers us to be tough without worrying about our husbands hiding around the corner snickering.

We punch and kick and behave like we are fighting off an army of ninjas in Kill Bill Volume II. We are strong and empowered.

At the end of the hour we pick up our car keys and slowly transform back into the Soccer Mom on our walks back to our SUV's. By the time we get to preschool for the afternoon pickup we are worrying about what is for dinner, fretting about laundry and wondering how all 3 kids are getting to all three sports tonight. Only...we do it a little tougher...

3.05.2008

My sweet hubby came home with the best gift any crafting girl could ask for...A bubble wrap bouquet! He presented it in a huge cardboard box stuffed to the gills and I couldn't have been happier than if he'd brought a dozen roses! What, exactly, does that say about me? It could mean that ELA is in my future - Etsy Lovers Annonymous of course!

Anyway, my shop is growing by the day and I'm still loving it and still working my little Etsy tail off. I can't wait to tell you tomorrow about my secret double life. My one hobby that doesn't involve Etsy! Hmmmm.... any guesses?

3.04.2008

I started on a 10 day journey of friendship last week. I was given a bag of Amish Friendship Bread starter with a sheet of instructions involving squeezing and adding ingredients on certain days.

We are so used to instant gratification today. You want some bread? Go to the store! Who on earth would spend 10 days preparing to MAKE it?!?! I thought the same thing at first, but soon, it began to feel like a ritual, get up and squeeze the bag, get up and squeeze the bag...but I have to say, that each time I saw that nasty bag of muck on my counter I thought of how lucky I was to have a friend who thought of me to pass this along to. It was kind of like a pact between blood sisters when we were kids.

I squeezed and added ingredients as I was instructed and, finally, it was time to make the bread last night. We mixed and sprinkled and baked ("We" is my Helper Munchkin, he does more than hold boards, you know). This lovely, cinnamon-y, steaming loaf came out and we were proud. It was worth the wait and we ate it for dessert. This is a symbol of my friendships, I thought, warm, comfortable, fullfilling, sustaining. What would we do without our girlfriends? Someone gave me a bag of this starter years ago and I failed to see the symbolizm. Sad.

But....who to choose to pass along this special gift? It has to be someone with patience who will understand that it isn't a chore or burden, but a 10 day reminder of how special they are to me. I think I have some friends in mind...

3.03.2008

I was getting started on a new frame order today for a baby and I even had my Helper Munchkin, board holder, on the job and... POW!... my jigsaw broke! The thing that makes the blade go up and down burst out the side of my saw!

Now, that saw belonged to my super-lovable father-in-law, Fred, and it made me so sad when it broke. Well, Helper Munchkin and I got in the car and headed to Lowe's (where they get a kick out of this mom who is always in there buying blades, mouse sanders, sand paper and lumber) and began to search for a replacement.

This little Skil number looked good and the price was right, so, welcome to the family, little buddy! He's so shiny and new and ALL MINE! Woo hoo, Mama's got a new saw.

So, long story short, Helper Munchkin and I got back on the job and soon a frame for someone else's little Munchkin will be finished. I will post the pics because I just love the quote they chose: "When they placed you in my arms you slipped into my heart." Isn't that beautiful?

Search This Blog

Pages

About Me

I'm a mom to three boys (ages 8-12), who's life revolves around laundry, football practice, blogging and art. Much of my daily interaction with said boys involves snacking, burping, discussions about "balls" or "peters", farting, or You Tube.
I have a small business and a group of friends (both real and bloggy) who provide me with the necessary estrogen to survive my testosterone-filled days. Got any estrogen to spare? Come on in!

You may visit those websites to opt out of cookies (if the vendor or ad network offers this capability). Users can opt out of some, but not all, of these cookies in one location at the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out website at www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.